LIMA, Peru, November 17, 2009 - Cisco today released the results of Cisco® Broadband Barometer, which showed 6.6 percent growth in fixed broadband connections in Peru during the first half of 2009.

According to the study, Peru currently has 783,000 fixed broadband connections and a penetration of 2.9 connections per every 100 inhabitants, a figure that is still below that of countries that lead broadband penetration in Latin America such as Chile (9.8 percent), Argentina (9.3 percent) and Brazil (5.8 percent).

The first edition of Cisco's Broadband Barometer established a country goal of 1 million connections by 2010. The Country would need to have reached 217.000 million additional connections by December of 2010 to reach this goal. 

The increase in fixed broadband connections in the country was driven mainly by the enterprise segment, which experienced a 12.5 percent growth.

Highlights

• Connections with speeds between 512 Kbps per second and 1 Mbps per second represent 34 percent of the fixed broadband market. Connection speeds over 1 megabit per second represent 31 percent.
• Connections with speeds between 512 Kbps and 1 Mbps grew by 23 percent. Connections with speeds greater than 1 megabit increased by 16 percent.
• In the first half of 2009, the home segment represents 75 percent of total broadband connections, while the enterprise segment represented 25 percent.
• The home segment achieved a 4.6 percent growth in the first half of 2009.   
• ADSL-type connections, cable modems and fixed wireless reported 6.6 percent growth during the first half of the year. Internet dedicated lines (IP dedicated) experienced a growth of 3 percent.  
• 78 percent of fixed broadband connections are concentrated in Lima and 22 percent are distributed throughout the rest of the country.
• The regions with the greatest broadband penetration were: Lima (5.86 percent), Arequipa (3.07 percent) and Tacna (2.78 percent).  The regions with lowest penetration were: Mosquegua (2.13 percent) and Lambayeque (2.02 percent).
• Fixed broadband connections achieved 214 percent growth and reached 50,800 connections.
• 67 percent of mobile broadband connections are found in the enterprise segment and only 33 percent in the consumer and home segments.

Supporting Quotes:

• Alvaro Merino Reyna, general manager Cisco Peru and Andean Region

"Broadband networks offer a unique and profitable opportunity to increase productivity and competitiveness, in addition to overcoming physical and geographic restrictions to bring services to citizens. According to World Bank studies, an increase of 10 percentage points in broadband Internet connections produces an increase of 1.3 percentage points in economic growth."

"Access to high-speed Internet services is essential for economic growth and employment creation in developing countries. However, Peru continues showing very moderate growth. Connectivity must be a priority for the national government and the IT industry. If we want to be competitive, we must accelerate the growth rate and take broadband to areas of the country that still do not have coverage."

• Jorge Luis Cuba, vice-minister of Telecommunications, Ministry of Transportation and Communications
 

"The government is making multiple efforts to reduce the digital divide and improve the country's connectivity conditions, therefore providing new development opportunities to less fortunate sectors. The projects of the Telecommunications Investment Fund (FITEL) will also provide additional important benefits in several areas, including education, health and agriculture, among others."

• Oscar Manuel Becerra, director of Educational Technologies, Ministry of Education

"Despite the great challenge imposed by our geography, we have been able to reach 4,631 educational institutions, benefitting 151,987 children who access Internet facilities from their schools."

Supporting Resources:

• Learn more about Cisco's vision for Broadband

Technorati Tags:

Cisco, Peru, Broadband, Information and Communications Technologies.

About the Broadband Barometer

About the Barometer

Sponsored by Cisco and conducted by IDC (www.idc.com), the Cisco Broadband Barometer is published every semester with the aim to measure the evolution of Colombian broadband. As part of its vision to promote broadband adoption in the Country, Cisco established the goal of reaching 3.5 million connections by the year 2010, to drive economic development and improve competitiveness and productivity. 

Colombia's main Internet Service Providers (ISPs) were surveyed for the release of Barometer's seventh edition. The evaluation is the result of a first interview with specialized analysts, ample local market telecommunications experience and the analysis of official statistics, regulatory agencies and specialized media.